Slow Night, Loud Thunder
by XSoleadoX
Summary: Belle has always been afraid of the storm and when it invades the Dark Castle, she seeks a reassurance in Rumplestiltskin's arms. She finds however much more that night than only calming her shattered nerves… One-shot.


**Just a fluffy smut, nothing dark or violent. ****Hope you like this one-shot. ****And reviews are always welcome :).**

**_Note:_ There's also a follow-up called "Brave In The Morning", you can find it on my page.**

_(Tasertrickshipper was a beta, thank you :*)_

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A loud clap thunder cut through the silence, making an entire castle rumble. The wooden shutters creaked and opened with a bang, a sharp cold blast of wind blowing into the room. The next thunder resound, even louder this time as the windows were open.

She probably should get up and close them again, but her body was completely frozen with fear.  
>A dark room became suddenly completely white, as the lightning cut the sky, and then again there came the impenetrable darkness, and silence. Dead silence.<p>

She shivered, numb hands reaching for the blanket and pulling it over her head. It was a silly thing to do, but the only thing she was able to do now. Since she was a wee child the thunderstorms would terrify her and her mother would come and lie beside her, holding her close and chasing away the imagined demons. After she died, her father took the role of reassuring her when the storm appeared.

Now however, her father wasn't with her anymore. She was in the Dark Castle and her dear papa was hundreds of miles away in his own castle.

She snuggled into the blanket even more when the next lightning illuminated the room. She could do this, she told her herself. She could survive this storm, first storm she experienced in this her new home, all by her own… She was brave, wasn't she? She'd always believed in that.

But then was a terrible thump, echoing in every fiber of her body, and in seconds she was on her feet and past the door, running through corridors, having for a guide only a small amount of light provided by the candlesticks hanging at the walls. She didn't care about the cold marble under her bare feet or the general castle's chill, and due the adrenaline rushing through her veins, she couldn't even really feel it.

She didn't stop in her rush, until she stood inside Rumplestiltskin's bedroom. Only then did she pause, leaning against heavy oak door and catching her breath. The room was dark, but with the lightning still appearing every few minutes, she could make out the location of the bed. Rumplestiltskin lay there, his shape visible in the short moments of bright light, and he appeared to be in a deep sleep. How could anyone sleep in such a horrible weather?, she wondered.

Thunder resounded again and she trembled, her feet slowly leading her towards his bed.

She was never in this room. He didn't directly forbid her to walk here, but she never dared anyway. It was his personal space, and just as he respected hers, never putting a foot in her bedroom, she respected his as well.  
>But not tonight.<p>

Tonight she needed a warm body next to her, to be held by someone able to protect her (although logically there was nothing to be protected from) and soothe her. There was a small voice in the back of her head, whispering that he could just as easily mock her and throw from his room, laughing at her stupid unfounded fear. But she didn't believe he would. She'd spent a few months in this castle, after so much time getting well accustomed to it and to its master. And now, with all certainty, she could say that Rumplestiltskin was not at all as the stories painted him.

He always was good to her, though he teased and mocked her at times too, but never he was cruel. He even saved her life once, catching her when she fell from the ladder, the memory of his stunned face still making her smile. They've spent countless evenings by the fireplace, her reading aloud and him listening captivated. They ate all meals together, talking about many subjects, the books and deals amongst them. At beginning she did most of the talking, but as time passed he opened up to her, and even he quipped often, always making her laugh. His sense of humor was peculiar, true, but it was just perfect to her.

Often he hid behind the mask of malice and roughness, but she could see right through it. He cared. He proved many times that he did, even if he didn't mean for her to see it. Except for the first night, she never was scared of him, even if he tried sometimes to frighten her in some way or another.

And so she wasn't afraid now too. Felt a little bashful, yes, but not scared. It wasn't a beast's lair as many would have say. It was just Rumplestiltskin's bedroom. And she shouldn't be here, because of that very fact.  
>But then there was again that horrifying thunder, and she made a few quick steps forward, until she stood at the edge of the bed.<p>

She leaned down a little, her eyes already adjusted to darkness, being able to make out the outline of the features of his face. He laid on his back, a soft snoring sounds coming out from his parted mouth and rising up a slim streak of hair which fell over his face. He was buried under the covers almost entirely, only his head and shoulders popping out.

He looked really peaceful like that, and she wished she didn't have to wake him. But really, really she didn't want to be alone right now. So a deep breath she took, and gently she placed her hand at his shoulder, squeezing.  
>"Rumplestiltskin?" It was barely louder than a whisper, but in the deafening silence the sound echoed in her ears as if it was a scream. She swallowed hard, her heart racing and nerves dancing violently, the silence unsettling her. She really needed a tight hug right now, to calm her nervous system… but Rumplestiltskin didn't react at any way. He still slept, snoring quietly, and she took another deep breath, before gripping his shoulder a little tighter and giving him a shake, while repeating his name louder.<p>

This time she gained some reaction from him. He grunted and stirred, and she quickly snatched her hand away, placing both of them before her. She fidgeted with her fingers nervously, while he slowly opened his eyes and they landed at hers.

For a moment they just looked at each other, his drowsy mind needing some time to fully focus on what his eyes were seeing.  
>And when the image before him finally connected with his brain, his eyes widened and he raised up a little, supporting at his elbows, and frowning.<p>

"Belle? What are you doing here?" Before she could answer, his brown creased more, his face tightening.

"Whatever reason it is that made you interrupt my dream, it better be a good one, dearie." His voice and his face took a dangerous edges, but again, she could see through it. He tried to look and sound irritated at her presence, threatening even maybe, but there was a concern behind the mask, situated deeply in his gleaming eyes, and he couldn't hid that from her.

She smiled shyly, and nodded towards the window. "There is a thunderstorm" she whispered, matter of factly, and he glanced briefly at the window, following her gaze.

"There is?"

As if answering him, the thunder bashed somewhere, making another loud and horrible sound, and she shivered on her all body, barely restraining the urge to jump into his bed right away and snuggle into him, hiding her face into his chest. He probably would have had a heart attack if she did that. So instead she winded her arms around her and stroked them, though it did nothing to calm her.

She was more and more terrified with every passing minute and the storm was only increasing instead of going away. The next thunder stroke and she strengthened her grip, the tears of fear appearing in her eyes. If it was possible, her heart would have now jumped out from her chest and ran to hide in some wardrobe, or under the bed perhaps. Somewhere safe and out of sight.

Every petrified cell of her body was telling her that standing in the middle of the room, opposite the window, while raging storm outside, wasn't safe at all.

It was silly. But she couldn't help it.

She cast Rumplestiltskin a panic-stricken look, and her face had to be really expressing dread, because his stern mask faded, replaced by the real concern and a hint of wonder.

"Are you afraid? Of the storm?"

She nodded and shifted at her feet, forcing her voice to work. "I always have been. Please… can I stay with you tonight?" It was a quiet and weak plea, but it was all she could utter now, the fear eating her alive. More lightning and thunder weren't helping at all.

He was silent for a long moment, clearly making an internal struggle with himself. She started to lose hope, more tears gathering in her eyes and a tight knot squeezing her heart, when suddenly Rumplestiltskin sighed heavily, the two nearby candlesticks igniting, casting a snug gleam around them, and he scooted at the opposite edge of the bed, pulling the covers open for her. She let out a shuddering breath of relief and quickly slipped under the warm quilt.

It already felt much better, so much safer than being alone. But it wasn't enough still. Her nerves calmed only insensibly, and she still needed, and wanted, to be in a tight embrace. But Rumplestiltskin placed himself firmly at the very edge of the bed, staying motionlessly at his back, trying to breathe as quietly as possible, that his presence was barely noticeable.

She shifted, leaning on her side, and reached her arm for him. When her hand clashed with his arm, she could feel him getting all stiff and his breath hitching in his throat. If she wasn't so terrified, she would have found that quite amusing.

She tugged at his sleeve a little, trying to urge him to move closer to the middle, but he stubbornly didn't react. So instead, she sneaked to his side, until she could feel his lean body against hers, the warmth radiating from him pleasantly transferring to her.

He still didn't make any move at all, neither to pull her in, nor to push her back, so she took the liberty and pillowed her head at his chest, her arm dropping over his waist. She entwined their legs together, her feet touching his warm ones and making her suddenly very aware of how cold her own feet were, how in fact she all got cold walking through the castle in nothing but the chemise, even its thickness not providing a good protection from coldness.

But now it wasn't cold anymore. It was warm, and cozy. But not quite right. If not for the fact that he was breathing, slowly and shallowly, but still, and the fact that she could feel his heartbeat under her ear, it would have felt as if she were lying next to a mannequin.

But could she really be surprised by that reaction?, she mused. The man was centuries old, as she figured, and probably didn't get much of human contact in that time. She could not comprehend how anyone would be able to survive so long without human touch, but even though he obviously somehow managed that, she was sure that he still craved it. Anyone would.

She tightened her grip at his waist, and let out a deep sigh. Her nerves started already to settle down, and the next clap of thunder didn't put her entire body into alarm. It still made her heart beat rapidly, but it didn't feel so violent. She was in a safe place now, every fiber of her body was concordant as to that.

She smiled despite herself as his arm tentatively wound around her shoulder and the other went, even more tentatively, at her back. For a moment he went tense again, as if expecting her to shrug off from his embrace and leave the room hurriedly, realizing that the whole thing was a mistake. She made no move however, and after several long seconds he relaxed a little, and started to draw small circles on her back.

Belle sighed in contentment. His huge hand (it always amused her, how such a small person could have such big hands…) felt warm against her skin, a little roughness there scratching her back pleasantly. She always wondered how it would feel, his skin that is. If it would be warm or cold; dry or damp; coarse as it looks or maybe soft despite. Now she knew how his hand felt against the bare space of her upper back, and it felt really good.

Being so close to him, her thoughts wandered where they often did in these times. She couldn't stop thinking about his skin, about his hands on the other places than her back, and she cursed the blush that crept up her face.  
>She was a lady, and she shouldn't be thinking such things about a man. The maids in her old castle would have fainted if they knew what was settled in her mind… But that's the important detail. They weren't here, and she wasn't a lady anymore. She was a caretaker. And there were only her and Rumplestiltskin here, no one to judge her or condemn.<br>And she was just curious, that's all. She was always a curious girl... The fact that as the months went by in the Dark Castle she grew really fond of Rumplestiltskin, her heart singing when he was nearby and the urge to wrap her arms around his neck and kiss him senselessly almost overwhelming, had nothing to do with it.  
>Nothing at all.<p>

Another thunder made a loud noise, and it violently ripped her from her reverie, causing her to squeeze Rumplestiltskin so tight that it had to be painful. He said nothing however, just grunted a little, and pulled her closer even, his arms trying to embrace as much of her as possible, and her grip at him gradually loosened.

She had to focus at now, so to not be so startled by the thunder again. She took a few deep breaths, and when her breathing finally evened, she tilted her head to look at Rumplestiltskin's face.  
>He watched her attentively, but his roaming hands stilled when her eyes found his. She could see how he gulped, and could feel how he shifted slightly, obviously not feeling comfortable.<br>She braced herself at her right arm, the second sliding from his waist up to his face, the backs of her fingers gently brushing his cheek. It was a bit softer than the skin at his hand, she noted with wonder, and she moved her fingertips to touch his lips. He parted them a little, a movement more reflexive than purposeful, and they felt even softer.

Oh, how much she wanted to kiss these lips…

No, she had to stop this thoughts before he noticed them, written on her face.

Or maybe he wanted that too?, she wondered. It was fairly easy for her to see through his masks, for most of the time, but she never could see too deeply. He always fled before she could read him more clearly.  
>He liked her, of that much she was sure, but was there something more? Were his true feelings reaching as deeply as hers? Could she ever find out?<p>

She flicked her eyes up to his own, realizing that she's been staring at his lips while thinking about them, and even more of the blush rose at her face. His brow creased a little then, his breath coming faster. She smiled shyly at him and moved her hand, resting it just above his ear, her fingers instinctively reaching for his hair. She loved his hair. It was so nicely curly and just as soft to touch as she imagined.

It was actually quite amusing, how thanks to her phobia she was now able to explore him as she so desired for a long time, she mused.

He was a mystery. Quite an interesting one for that matter. And he was a challenge. Long weeks took her to get to know him a tiny bit, and even more weeks to get him to trust her. It wasn't a complete trust of course, but it was bigger than he placed in anyone else, and that fact itself was worth of cherish.

But there was still a question, one amongst many other, that was nudging in her mind. The others weren't appropriate to ask right now, but this one seemed to be quite alright.

"Why did you want me here?" Her voice was still barely louder than a whisper, but it was just fine in the general silence in the room.

"I believe that it was you who came here and asked to lie in this bed…" Came his answer, a teasing note in his voice, and she rolled her eyes at him, smacking his arm playfully. He frowned at that, but failed to hide a twist of his lips.  
>Relenting, he let the grin take over his face, and they both were smiling at each other for a longer time. It finally melted away and she looked at him pointedly, still waiting for the real answer.<br>He sighed, a long and heavy sound, and he cocked his head, looking in the direction of the window. He fought for the answer, for the words, but none came.

Eventually he looked back at her, his face open and some longing written on his features, and she smiled reassuringly, although her heart was squeezed tight. She already for some time suspected what the answer could be, she just wanted a confirmation.  
>"You were lonely, weren't you?" She searched his face for it, and for a moment he tried to put on a mask, but he let go almost immediately, his big sad eyes telling her everything.<p>

He was lonely. Terribly lonely. Now, having a confirmation of it, even unspoken one, her heart sank. No one deserved to be lonely, to be left completely alone. Of course, he was the Dark One, and he purposely scared people away, but she always thought that there had to be someone, one friend at least.  
>Now, spending so much time with him, she knew; there was no one. He had a contact with people, obviously, as he was making deals, but that was it. She suspected that no woman dared to look at him twice, not to mention touching him. Many people were repulsed by him.<br>She remembered stories told by one of the knights at her father's castle; he had once made a deal with Rumplestiltskin. Didn't want anything particularly big, so the price wasn't big too. But the man focused on describing the Dark One, his looks and antics, and she heard some of this. When she actually saw Rumplestiltskin, the surprise was huge. Yes, his appearance wasn't quite human, but it was not at all as hideous and frightening as the knight described.  
>She never felt repulsed by him. Most contrary in fact. She found him quite handsome and very interesting. When she opened the curtains, a sunny light falling at his face, his skin started to shine slightly, and it was truly a beautiful and mesmerizing view, if you ask her.<p>

He grunted and it pulled her from her musings. She smiled, looking into his huge amber eyes, and swallowed a sudden lump in her throat.  
>She wanted to kiss him so badly… She wanted to show him that someone not only could want him, but that someone actually wanted him. That he didn't need to be alone anymore.<p>

To be true, she was terrified that he could not want that, not from her. That she could only destroy their friendship. But it was a perfect opportunity right now, to do what she longed for from long weeks, and she was pretty sure that she could not get another chance to do that. It was now or never.

With a new resolve, she leaned into him more, bringing her face so very close to his, her eyes not leaving his for a moment. His eyes widened, and if not the position he was in now, she suspected he would just flee, as he always did when they got too close and he stopped feeling confident.

But he couldn't move anywhere from here, fortunately, so she slowly closed the distance, clumsily slanting her lips against his, and closing her eyes.

To be fair, she had never kissed before, but she'd read about it. The real kiss was quite different however, and she suddenly felt nervous about her lack of ability. He didn't seem to mind though, as he finally responded to the kiss, his grip on her tightening a little, and he brought one hand up to her chin, tilting it slightly for a better angle, and deepening the kiss the moment she sighed, opening her mouth then.  
>She gasped and he let out a little groan, when their tongues first touched. It felt a little weird at first, wet but also warm, and she experimentally slid her tongue against his. He groaned again, sending a tickling butterflies down to her stomach.<p>

Their kiss was quite sloppy and awkward at beginning, but they pretty quickly caught the right rhythm, slow and leisurely. And it didn't feel weird anymore for her. It felt perfect. He felt perfect. It was even better than she imagined, better than any description in any book she's been reading, because this was actually real, actually happening. It was not in her mind or on a paper, their lips, their tongues really merging, their bodies really hugging, and oh, this reality was simply fantastic, and she would be happy if it never ended.

But then, of course, another thunder stroke, startling her, and she accidently bit his lip.

"Oh, I'm so sorry…" she quickly murmured, pulling away from him to look at his face. His expression was positively sluggish, all worries and sorrows washed away, replaced by warmth and fondness.

"I don't mind" he said, his voice so low and near a human's, as she never heard from him.  
>He cocked his head at the side, looking at her curiously, and she bit her lip. He wanted to ask a question, she could tell, and she also knew what it will be.<p>

"Why did you kiss me?"

She smiled slightly, and more heat rose at her cheeks as she locked eyes with him. People say that eyes can tell the truth. He could maybe not believe in her next words, but he had to believe in her eyes.

"Because I wanted too. And because I… -" the words she wanted to say died in her throat, and she searched her brain for a replacement, the one at least relatively accurate, but easier to say. "-Care for you" she finally finished, a coy smile at her face.

He stared at her, his face expressing disbelief, but finding nothing but sincerity in her eyes. He frowned, as if not believing that too, but then his face relaxed, and he let out a shuddering sigh, a tiny smile playing at the corners of his mouth.

Oh this mouth…  
>She went without kissing them already for too long, even if it was actually not more than five minutes. She lowered her head again, but let him this time close the distance. He did so without a second thought, kissing her with passion and rolling them over, that she laid on her back and he hovered over her. With more room for her hands now, she traced them along his backbone, down and up, feeling him shudder under her touch.<br>Finally she put one hand at his neck and second buried into his, now quite disheveled, hair. She gently ran her fingernails through his scalp, and he made the most erotic grunt, the sound of it striking right between her legs.  
>This time when the thunder came it didn't startle her. She barely even noticed it. The outside world could have ceased to exist right now, because everything what was a world for her right now, was just here. The bedroom, the cozy bed, and Rumplestiltskin in her arms. There was nothing more she could possibly need or care about right at this moment.<p>

His hands moved alongside her body, a ghostly touch at first, tentative and avoiding any more private areas. But as she kept kissing him and massaging his scalp, he eventually grew bolder, and to her delight, he started to actually touch her.

He stroked her sides for a moment, and then his fingers slid up to her ribs, gently brushing the outside of her breasts. This alone made her moan, and she immediately felt embarrassed because of it. It seemed to only encourage him though, and carefully he cupped her entire breasts into his palms. She shivered as his thumbs brushed her nipples through the linen fabric, the little buds quickly hardening under his caress.

He slid his hand down, fingers curling at the hem of her chemise, their lips separating as he pulled back, and he smiled shyly at her.

"Can I remove it?" His eyes were big and hopeful, but with a whit of fear that she may refuse, or even worse, feel offended.

She tried to keep herself from more blushing, but couldn't really. No man had ever seen her naked, or even in her nightclothes for that matter. She always refused Gaston to see her, because she just didn't trust him, and his hungry look, even when she was fully dressed, was disgusting.  
>It was different with Rumplestiltskin though. She trusted him, more in fact than she trusted anyone. She knew that if it started to be too much for her, she just had to tell him and he would stop.<p>

"Yes" The voice stuck in her throat, so it came out as a breathless whisper. Rumplestiltskin's face lit up, making him suddenly look like a happy puppy, and she couldn't hold back in her own smile.

He pulled back from her, sitting at the soles of his feet beside her, and a second later he flicked his wrist and the chemise was gone, baring her completely to his view.

Looking at his face, she could see his eyes going wide, as they wandered across her body, and his mouth hanged open. There was hunger in his eyes, a pure lust darkening them, but there also was a curiosity in there and some dose of disbelief, as if he was seeing some sort of marvel and couldn't quite believe in it.

Though her heart was pounding wildly in her chest and the blush probably covered her entire upper body, she smiled and squeezed his arm encouragingly when his hand faltered above her bare breast. He shot her a little smile, and fixed his eyes at her bosom, tentatively grazing the soft skin of her breasts. She gasped at the sudden jolt of electricity which ran through her, heading straightly between her legs, adding more wetness in there.  
>Gently he dragged his long fingernail against her taunt nipple, and she couldn't keep her body immobile anymore, her hips raising up at their own accord, the pressure to be touched down there becoming almost unbearable.<p>

He kept touching her gently and tentatively, his eyes huge and curious, his look somehow mesmerized, and his face strained with focus, and she wondered how long it was since he was with a woman last time. Had to be quite long, judging by his uncertain touch and treating her as if some rare, fragile treasure. Or maybe it was just because of the fact that it was her, maybe he dreamed about that moment just as she did?  
>It wasn't important at the moment, she decided. Right now she needed his touch somewhere else, and <em>wanted it<em> desperately.

Trying to calm her shaking hands, she grabbed one of his and guided it down her body, letting out a contented sigh when it finally touched her curls. His eyes widened even more, if that was possible, and he groaned, as his fingers came in contact with her wetness.

Before, only she touched herself there, but now when he did that, it felt strangely right. His fingers slid through her slick folds, and when they brushed against her sensitive bundle, she moaned wantonly.  
>Before she could feel embarrassed however, he tore his eyes from her intimate parts, focusing at her face, and he bent down to kiss her. He didn't deepen the kiss this time though, instead sliding lower, past her neck and cleavage, down to her breasts, and focusing his newly bold attention there.<p>

He clasped his mouth around her nipple, scraping and sucking gently, his tongue darting out to lick soothingly, as his two fingers slowly slid into her opening and worked out and in rhythmically, the thumb circling her clit, and her whole body quivered from pleasure. She touched herself multiple times before, but the sensations never were as powerful as now, when he touched her, and that was really a marvel.

Not long took her to tumble over the edge, her eyes shutting tightly and mouth opening in a mute cry, as her inner walls clenched around his fingers and waves of white bliss washed over her. When finally her mind cleared and she was able to open her eyes, she met his stare, as lustful and adoring as she's never seen before.  
>He licked his lips subconsciously, savoring her with his gaze, what immediately took away her newly re-found breath.<p>

Her eyes darted down, to the visible bulge in his pants. His need was obvious, but he seemed not intent on proceeding further, his so recent boldness deserting him now apparently. She didn't intent on leaving him in that state though, and quite frankly, she didn't want this to end so fast, her body not feeling quite content yet. So again playing the bold one, despite her own nerves, she pulled herself to a sitting position, slowly sliding her hands up and down his arms and giving him a small smile.  
>She could see his Adam's apple bobbing, and she moved her hands at his front, slowly opening the buttons of his shirt one by one, her eyes following every bit of uncovered skin. He didn't try to stop her, though she could feel how tensed he was, his body trembling slightly, and he folded his hands at his thighs, trying to stay still.<p>

She finally opened his shirt wholly, shoving it off from his shoulders and onto the floor. She placed her hands at his grainy chest, stroking down to his surprisingly smooth stomach, and back again to the chest, feeling the muscles under her palms twitching.  
>He seemed to be holding back his breath, but released it when, instead of backing away from him, she smiled and placed a little kiss over his pounding heart.<p>

His skin felt pleasant under her fingers, despite of its coarseness. It felt a little bit slimy too now, from the sweat she suspected, but it didn't gross her. He expected her to be repealed, she could see that in his huge eyes. He looked so vulnerable at the moment, so close to panic, that she couldn't stop herself from pulling him into a tight embrace, her face hiding in the crook of his neck, ghosting a warm breath over his skin, and her hands holding him with all the strength she possessed.

They were flesh to flesh, and so she could feel his hardness, poking her in the hip, making her want to pull off from him his pants and see all of him, touch all of him, feel all of him. A shameless thoughts, deepening her blush all the more, but it was just what she wanted, how she felt, and she shouldn't feel embarrassed of that. They both clearly wanted the same thing, to her delight, though he was just too ashamed of his body to ask for it. She needed to show him what she wanted and that it was okay, and so she pressed into him more, coaxing him to lie down.

He did so without much of a protest, and she straddled him, his hands grasping her hips gently, helping her to gain a better balance, though his expression remained sheepish. She tried to smile reassuringly and encouragingly, though she wasn't really sure what to do next. So far she behaved quite bold with him, but with no experience at all, she didn't really know what was she doing, and the fear of doing something wrong and making herself an idiot in his eyes was starting slowly getting to her nerves.  
>She tried to calm down, not wanting him to think that she had second thoughts after all, and she bent down to kiss at his jaw, trailing down to his neck, trying to repeat what he had done to her earlier. When she slid down to his chest, carefully taking his nipple into her mouth, his loud groan and buck of his hips gave her so much needed courage.<p>

She wanted to spent more time at his chest, but her innate curiosity took the better of her. She kissed her way down, until his hips were at her eye line. She casted a quick glance at his face, seeing him watching her closely, his breath coming labored and uneven.

Returning her eyes back at his crotch, she bit her lip, chewing it in concentration, as she brought her hand up and placed it at him. She heard him suck in breath, and she focused at the feeling of him through the cotton pants. He was really hard and throbbing under her palm, emitting pleasant heat.  
>Now her curiosity was only intensified, and she dared to hook her fingers under the elastic, pulling the pants down his legs and throwing them at the floor, exposing Rumplestiltskin fully to her view. He shuddered when she lied her eyes on him, but then he became all tensed, looking at her with a frightened expression, as if he expected her to run away in any second.<p>

Her heart sank when she looked at him, at his wide, scared eyes, but beneath fear they were also pleading, pleading her to stay, to not reject him, not now, not after everything they've just done.  
>And if she hadn't been in love with him already, she would have surely fell for him now.<p>

He looked utterly terrified when she shifted, but let out his hold breath when she scooted closer to his face, instead of expected running away.  
>With a gentle hand she cupped his cheek, thumb stroking his scaly jaw and chapped lips, and she smiled at him with affection, before leaning down and kissing him zealously, trying to pour into him an assurance that she's not going to leave, that she's perfectly fine with his body and with his entire person.<p>

And she truly was. The scales and greenish color had never really affected her, as she's always been a person paying more attention to someone's inside than its looks. And there was much more in Rumplestiltskin's inside than only a tricky imp most people saw.

Still kissing him, she slid her hand down his body, carefully cupping his hardness. She's never done this, so she felt a little unsure when she started to slowly move her hand. She was glad when he responded quite eagerly, grasping a handful of her hair and with a moan pushing his tongue inside her mouth.

After a moment his hand covered hers, and he adjusted it, for a second maneuvering her hand, showing her how to do this. She complied, when he withdrew, trying her best to give him pleasure, but she knew that he craved more than that. And so did she.

In his arms she felt truly wonderful; safe and much less lonely, and more than that; she felt courageous with him, her shyness somewhere dispersing, making her take first step when he was too afraid to do it himself. She felt as she did never in a man's presence; her body wet and hot, demanding much more than what it received. And she knew that he wanted more too, though he wouldn't dare to ask it from her.  
>No one would have believed how shy and tender he truly was, she mused.<p>

His body trembled violently, and he let out a loud moan, thrusting into her hand faster. In that moment she made up her mind, and removed her hand from him. His confused and slightly wounded expression met her eyes, and she bit her bottom lip again.

"I want more, Rumplestiltskin" she whispered, the enormous blush stinging her skin.

His body relaxed at the realization that she didn't intent to leave him in that state, but his face looked hesitant. "Are you sure?"

"Yes", she didn't need to think twice about the answer, she already knew that she was sure. And he didn't ask more, swiftly flipping them over, leaning above her and supporting his weight at his forearms.

She raked her hands through his hair, an action she knew she will be repeating as often as possible from now on, and she locked her eyes with his, sending him a little smile.  
>He smiled back, and brought her one leg up, bending it in the knee and arranging around his waist, as he himself lined them up, taking hold of his engorged cock. His eyes didn't leave her face not once, searching attentively for any signs of discomfort or changing her mind, and finding none.<p>

She let out a gasp when he slowly entered her, the sensation of his blunt head inside her an unknown and wonderful feeling. He stopped then, and she gave his shoulder a little squeeze, encouraging him to go on.  
>When he broke her barrier there was a sharp tug of pain, causing her body to instinctively tense up. Rumplestiltskin stilled immediately and looked at her with a big, concerned eyes, his hands gently stroking her sides, trying to make her feel better.<p>

The pain faded away after just few seconds, leaving place for pleasure, and her body relaxed again, adjusting to his thickness. Only now she could fully feel him, hard and hot inside her, throbbing from the need to move.  
>With a little smile at her face, she brought her hand up to his face, brushing away the hair that fell there, and she drew his face close enough to hers that she was able to kiss him. Responding at her kiss, and taking the hint, he carefully moved his hips, sheathing himself in a little more, before slowly pulling out.<p>

There wasn't the burning pain the maids in her father's castle so often talked about, she observed with relief. She felt some stretching, but it was just slightly uncomfortable and that only at beginning. Otherwise it felt really good, sending all the pleasant jolts through her body, almost bringing tears to her eyes at how wonderful it was to finally be with him.  
>She dreamed about it from long weeks, them together being her fantasy when she touched herself, but it was so much better in reality, with all of her senses being stimulated.<br>Her eyes kept savoring his adorable face, until he hid it in the crook of her neck, starting to kiss it with verve. Her ears were absorbing each pleased sound he made, and every fiber of her body felt his own moving against her, pumping into her harder and faster with each passing minute.

She had read quite an amount of books addressed for the adults, describing the act of sex and human's anatomy, so she wasn't completely unaware of how it looked like. But when actually experiencing it, it felt so much different and so much better than any dry description claimed it would. She knew it wouldn't be that way if not for her feelings for him, that if she did that with Gaston, then she would have feel only disgust, for him and herself. But with Rumplestiltskin, she for the first time in her life felt truly beautiful and wanted.

His hands skimmed over her body, eventually cupping her breasts as he nibbled at her earlobe, and she gasped, accidently raking her fingernails over his back. She wanted to apologize, but he moaned and bit her neck, so she figured out that he liked it. She scraped over his back again, and he thrust harder into her, his hands abandoning her breasts and grasping the sheets, so he could balance himself better.

The pressure started to build up in her again, but it was yet far away from releasing, when his body started to tremble, his movements losing their rhythm and becoming erratic, before he went stiff, groaning loud and long into her ear, sound almost animalistic, causing the blood in her veins to boil.  
>Spent, he collapsed at her, his arms too jelly-like to support him, but she didn't mind. He wasn't that heavy at all, and the closeness and heat of his body felt really nice right now, so much that she hugged him and pulled him in even closer.<p>

His bumpy nose nuzzled her neck, before he raised his head, squinting at her worriedly. "How do you feel? I didn't hurt you, did I?"  
>She smiled at him brightly, giving him a little peck on the lips, his concerned words somehow making her feel good.<p>

"Of course you didn't hurt me. I'm perfectly fine." She assured him and kissed him again, coaxing him then to get back to nuzzling her neck, as she felt too languid to talk right now.

She stroked his damp back idly, loosing herself in thought.

Despite of not coming second time, she felt really sated now. Her body was satisfied, but also was her soul. She still wasn't sure of his feelings towards her, but his tenderness made her feel truly cherished. His adoring looks and touches only added to her already swollen heart for him, and she knew that someday she will gain enough courage in her to confess her feelings to him.  
>Yes, tomorrow maybe, right in the morning, she will try to talk with him.<br>And she will do the brave thing and bare her soul and her heart before him…  
>At the moment, however, she was content in just lying here in his arms, resting after their wonderful exertion, and relishing of not being alone anymore.<p>

Rumplestiltskin made a grunting noise and rolled at his side, pulling her back against his chest, and wrapping himself around her like in a cocoon. By flicker of magic their bodies were clean, and the warm covers were again around them, warding off the coldness, though he didn't put back on them their clothing. She liked it that way, actually.

Hugging his hands around her, giving each a sweet kiss, she pressed herself more into him and closed her eyes, banishing the thoughts away from her drowsy mind, and awaiting for what she was sure will be a pleasant, peaceful dream.

For next minutes she could feel his hot breath at her neck, and little kisses planted there and at her shoulder, causing a pleasant smile to stretch across her face, until she drifted off into Morpheus's arms.

She didn't even remember when the storm, which originally brought her here, ended.  
>But, at the end, this storm was the best thing that recently happened to her; to the both of them.<br>Because it brought them together.


End file.
